Following appeals being made by Raglan and Onewheoro residents on the proposed 2013 election arrangement of councillors and community boards, the Local Government Commission is to hear what the appellants have to say. the meeting will be held in Ngaruawahia this Thursday 6th December.
Raglan resident John Lawson is one of the people who has lodged an appeal. John’s appeal is that the Raglan Community Board area should be extended to the same boundary as the Raglan ward, which should have 3 subdivisions and 10 members to allow most council work to be devolved to it.
John said, “Information supplied indicates that Council made its decision on the basis of a misunderstanding of what two of the 20 submitters asked for, whilst accepting that a very similar arrangement in Onewhero has created no problem. Seemingly in contradiction of their case, Council hinted that it might go along with the delegation proposed by those 2 submitters, ‘through a review of delegations’.
I think it’s relevant to the numbers needed for good representation to consider what the Board should be doing. Many of the problems heard at Raglan Community Board meetings stem from Council having an incomplete understanding of what happens in an area remote from most of its staff and members. I suggest that the Board should be set up to deal with activities delegated to other Community Boards in this country.”
Local Government Commission
Hearing of appeals relating to the final representation proposal
of the Waikato District Council
Thursday 6 December 2012
Hearing Schedule
|
Time |
Name |
| 2.00pm – 2.10pm | Introduction by Commission Chair(Housekeeping matters – introduction of Commissioners, apologies, venue arrangements, order of proceedings etc.) |
| 2.10pm – 2.40pm | Waikato District Council(The process undertaken and reasons for decision) |
| 2.40pm – 2.55pm | Rosemarie Costar (Appellant 1) |
| 2.55pm – 3.10pm | John Lawson (Appellant 2) |
| 3.10pm – 3.20pm | Waikato District Council(Right of reply on matters raised by appellants/objectors during hearing) |
WDC Media Release follows:
REPRESENTATION ARRANGEMENTS APPEAL HEARING
On December 6 a Local Government Commission hearing will take place in the Waikato District Council chambers at Ngaruawahia. The hearing will consider two appeals to the council’s final representation arrangements proposal, which was adopted on August 9.
The hearing, which is open to the public, begins at 2 pm with the council outlining the review process and reasons for its decisions regarding final representation arrangements. This will be followed by the two appellants to the Council’s proposal.
The Commission has until April 11, 2013 to make its decision on the appeals.
The council commenced a review of its representation arrangements in February 2012. The result of the review was a proposal to reduce the number of councillors from 13 to 14, and the number of wards from 11 to 10.
Two appeals to the council’s decision were received by the deadline of September 10, with both appellants advising they wished to appear before the Commission in support of their appeal.
For more on the representation arrangements process see http://www.waikatodc.govt.nz/Your-Council/Elections.aspx
http://www.raglan.gen.nz/2012/appeals-on-waikato-councillors-and-community-boards/